Murgia

Murgia is the name given to several limestone plateaus in southern Italy, primarily in the regions of Apulia (Puglia) and Basilicata. The term is used in geographic and cultural contexts to describe flat- or gently rolling uplands formed by sedimentary rock that rise above the surrounding plains. The plateaus feature karst landscapes, caves, and fossil-rich outcrops that have influenced settlement and land use over millennia.

One major portion is the Alta Murgia, a central Apulian upland that lies between the Adriatic coastline and inland valleys. The landscape is characterized by limestone karst, plateaus, and ravines, with extensive scrub and steppe habitats. The area is protected as the Alta Murgia National Park, established to conserve biodiversity, water resources, and traditional rural land use.

A second prominent component is the Murgia Materana in Basilicata, a limestone plateau surrounding Matera. It is renowned for its rupestrian (rock-cut) churches and cave dwellings, which have been inhabited since prehistoric times and flourished during the early medieval period. The area is linked to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sassi di Matera, recognized for its historical urban landscape and rock-cut architecture.

Together, the Murgia plateaus host distinctive habitats, including Mediterranean scrub and open grassland, and support species adapted to karst environments. The plateaus have shaped agricultural practices, settlement patterns, and religious architecture, including shrines and hermitages carved into rock.

The toponym Murgia appears in historical sources to designate upland limestone terrains in southern Italy; etymology is debated, but the term has long been used in Italian geography and local tradition. The name continues to be applied to protected areas and to the broader geographical concept of the Murgia plateau region.